Laura Combes
Encyclopedia
Laura Combes was a professional female bodybuilder
from the United States
.
Born on October 19, 1953, in New York, New York, Combes moved to Tampa, Florida
in 1966 at age 13. As a teenager she played many sports, including fencing
, sailing
, archery
, canoeing
, horseback riding, water skiing
, and tennis
. Combes attended St. Petersburg College
Prep School, and then went to the University of South Florida
in Tampa
.
In the late 1970s, she began lifting weights to rehab injuries to both knees suffered while playing rugby
. Soon, she became involved in the fledgling sport of women’s bodybuilding
. She won the first NPC
Nationals in 1980, and won the AAU
Ms. America title in 1981.
Combes made a dramatic national television appearance that year on the NBC
series Real People
. After the airing of a taped segment about female bodybuilding
in which she had been featured, Combes carried host Skip Stephenson
onto stage in front of the studio audience.
Combes competed in three professional shows, retiring after a sixth-place finish at the 1982 Ms. Olympia
. Combes authored Winning Women's Bodybuilding (ISBN 0-8092-5616-9) in 1983. Laura was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame
in 2002.
Laura Combes was found dead in her apartment in Odessa, Florida
on October 4, 1989, from acute alcohol poisoning.
Female bodybuilding
Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.-Beginnings:...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Born on October 19, 1953, in New York, New York, Combes moved to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
in 1966 at age 13. As a teenager she played many sports, including fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, horseback riding, water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
, and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. Combes attended St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually...
Prep School, and then went to the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
In the late 1970s, she began lifting weights to rehab injuries to both knees suffered while playing rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
. Soon, she became involved in the fledgling sport of women’s bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
. She won the first NPC
National Physique Committee
The National Physique Committee is the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the United States. Amateur bodybuilders compete in various competitions from local to national competitions sanctioned by the NPC...
Nationals in 1980, and won the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
Ms. America title in 1981.
Combes made a dramatic national television appearance that year on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series Real People
Real People
Real People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
. After the airing of a taped segment about female bodybuilding
Female bodybuilding
Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.-Beginnings:...
in which she had been featured, Combes carried host Skip Stephenson
Skip Stephenson
Charles Frederick "Skip" Stephenson was an American actor and comedian. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and graduated in 1958 from Holy Name High School. After attending a year at University of Omaha, Stephenson took a job as a DJ in Alliance, Nebraska.In the 1970s he moved to Los Angeles, where...
onto stage in front of the studio audience.
Combes competed in three professional shows, retiring after a sixth-place finish at the 1982 Ms. Olympia
Ms. Olympia
Ms. Olympia is the title given to the winner of the women's bodybuilding portion of Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilders . It was first held in 1980, and since 2000 it has been held at the same...
. Combes authored Winning Women's Bodybuilding (ISBN 0-8092-5616-9) in 1983. Laura was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame
IFBB Hall of Fame
The IFBB Hall of Fame was established in 1999 to honor outstanding athletes and officials in the sport of bodybuilding.-1999:*Carla Dunlap*Cory Everson*John Grimek*Lee Haney*Rachel McLish*Sergio Oliva*Reg Park*Bill Pearl*Steve Reeves...
in 2002.
Laura Combes was found dead in her apartment in Odessa, Florida
Odessa, Florida
Odessa is a census-designated place in both Hillsborough County, Florida, and Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,173 at the 2000 census.- History :...
on October 4, 1989, from acute alcohol poisoning.
Contest history
- 1979 Ms. Brandon Physique – 4th
- 1979 Ms. Florida – 5th
- 1979 Ms. Suncoast Body Beautiful – 2nd
- 1979 IFBB Best In The World – 6th
- 1979 Ms. Tampa Physique – 1st
- 1979 Ms. West Florida – 1st
- 1979 Ms. Northwest Florida – 1st
- 1980 AAUAmateur Athletic UnionThe Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
Ms. Florida – Overall Winner - 1980 AAU Ms. America – 1st
- 1980 NPCNational Physique CommitteeThe National Physique Committee is the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the United States. Amateur bodybuilders compete in various competitions from local to national competitions sanctioned by the NPC...
USA Championship – 7th - 1980 NPC Nationals – 1st (Overall)
- 1981 Pro World Championship – 6th
- 1981 IFBBInternational Federation of BodyBuildersThe International Federation of BodyBuilders is a competitive bodybuilding organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben and Joe Weider and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors ,...
Ms. OlympiaMs. OlympiaMs. Olympia is the title given to the winner of the women's bodybuilding portion of Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilders . It was first held in 1980, and since 2000 it has been held at the same...
– 4th - 1982 IFBBInternational Federation of BodyBuildersThe International Federation of BodyBuilders is a competitive bodybuilding organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben and Joe Weider and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors ,...
Ms. OlympiaMs. OlympiaMs. Olympia is the title given to the winner of the women's bodybuilding portion of Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilders . It was first held in 1980, and since 2000 it has been held at the same...
– 6th